Case study
Medical-grade Makrolon® for anti-needle-stick device
Injury from accidental needle-sticks can cause infection, illness, or even death. Which is why the materials used in anti-stick devices have to be absolutely reliable. Becton, Dickinson and Company chose our medical-grade Makrolon® polycarbonate for its UltraSafe Passive® Needle Guard.
When Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) set out to create a new device to alleviate needle-stick risks they needed a material for the housing that met the necessary product criteria in terms of strength, impact resistance, and dimensional stability - and that was production-friendly too.
BD’s UltraSafe Passive® Needle Guards are composed of two telescoping thermoplastic components and a spring. To manufacture the device, BD required a material that was not only strong, durable and transparent, but one that had precisely the right flow characteristics to ensure easy release from the mold.
Our medical-grade Makrolon® polycarbonate matched the technical specifications of BD‘s UltraSafe Passive® Needle Guard, perfectly. In addition to flowing well and releasing from the mold easily, Makrolon® increases design flexibility for complicated parts. The material’s high strength ensures it will not fail during use and its transparency makes the markings, labels and contents of the syringe housed inside the needle guard clearly visible.
Why Makrolon® was the right solution for the UltraSafe® device
- Specialized: Medical grade Makrolon® meets the specific needs of medical applications.
- Ease of use: Flows easily and releases from the mold with no difficulty.
- Dimensionally stable: Retains shape even when exposed to heat and humidity.
- Ultra-tough: Material is extremely durable and impact resistant with high strength.
- Glass-like transparency: Allows for visualization of syringe markings, labels and contents.
